DETROIT — Talk about a shocker.
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade from Detroit, according to multiple reports, first from Elliotte Friedman, an analyst for Hockey Night in Canada and Sportsnet.
There has been no comment from general manager Steve Yzerman, Larkin or Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson. None of the three immediately responded to texts from The Detroit News, nor have they responded to Friedman, he said.
But Friedman said sources around the league confirmed Larkin's request.
Larkin, 29, was the Wings' 2014 first-round draft pick, 15th overall. The Wings made the playoffs in Larkin's rookie season but have yet to get there again in the last 10 years, clearly frustrating Larkin, who is from Waterford and played collegiately at Michigan.
Larkin is coming off a memorable season in which he keyed Team USA to a gold medal at the Winter Olympics — after starring in 2025 for Team USA at the 4-Nations Tournament.
Larkin set a career high in scoring 34 goals this past season, adding 33 assists for 67 points. It was the fifth consecutive season Larkin has topped 30 or more goals, and the sixth time in his career.
Larkin signed an eight-year contract extension in 2023, worth $69.6 million, an annual average value of $8.7 million. There is a full no-trade clause for the next two seasons, after which there is a 10-team list of teams Larkin would be amicable to a trade.
Talking to reporters in April, after the Wings' season ended, Larkin appeared ready to keep taking on the challenge of getting the Wings into the playoffs.
"I wanted to be here, and I want to be here to help this team in any way I can to win the Stanley Cup," Larkin said. "We need to get the Detroit Red Wings back in the playoffs. Not just me."
Larkin was disappointed with how the Wings' season ended. The Wings appeared to be in prime position to qualifying for the playoffs before February's Olympic break, but for the fourth consecutive season faltered in March and April, at the end of the season.
"It's been hard, not great," Larkin said. "It's been a very difficult end to the season. Never a fun time when you miss the playoffs, but especially in this fashion, and kind of being here again."
At the end of the 2024-25 Wings' season, in which they missed the playoffs, Larkin expressed disappointment the Wings' didn't acquire players at the trade deadline.
“It was hard that we didn’t do anything, and then I felt the group kind of, we didn’t gain any momentum from the trade deadline and guys were kind of down about it," Larkin said. "It'd be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice, and maybe a morale boost as well."
If Larkin were to be available in a trade, there would be many teams around the NHL this season interested. He's a quality No. 1 center, but also one in a market where there isn't much quality on the unrestricted free-agent market.